Some computing systems use random access memory (RAM) devices as intermediary storage for relatively fast access to data that is also stored in long-term electro-mechanical or electro-optical mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic memories, optical memories, etc.). In this manner, computing systems can perform faster data accesses by copying data from the long-term mass storage devices to the intermediary RAM devices, and accessing the data from the RAM devices.
Long-term solid-state memory devices include non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) such as phase-change ram (PCRAM), Memristors, and spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM). An advantage of NVRAM devices over traditional dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is that NVRAM devices can provide higher densities than traditional DRAM on a given integrated circuit (IC) die space. However, some NVRAM devices lack the fast access speeds available on DRAM devices.